clinton. it's going to be messy getting there, but a higher rate for those at the top seems to be an inevitable outcome of this. >> speaking of messy, the progressives love to get on the bandwagon on that one issue. what are they going to do when the president starts moving against entitlements? >> well, you know, what's interesting on that, republicans gambled and lost, i think in the summer of 2011, president obama showed willingness to go much further on entitlements than he is today. he'll end up going further on a deal than he is now. but not as far as he would have then. he will have to confront his party. that's part of the definition of being president, saying no to your own side. there's a case to be made to liberals, if you do not constrain entitlements in the long run. what you're doing is squeezing all the discretionary investment s. there's a case for controlling the entitlement spending. the republicans gambled and lost during the debt ceiling talks of 2011. >> let's leave it the